Regulating valve



Feb. 2, 1954 Elm- 2,667,898

REGULATING VALVE I Filed July 50, 1947 11 D 7 i 1 I 12 Patented Feb. 2, 1954 UNITED STAT as: PATENT" OFFICE REGULATING VALVE" Theophil Eichmann Bern, Switzerland. assignor to George- B-hScarlett, Kennett. Square, Par; William J. Scarlett, administrator. of ,-George B.

Scarlett, deceased;

Application J uly30,'.194'7, SerialNo; 764,793 In. Switzerland-1 September 4, 1945 Section 1; Public Law 690,.Augpst 8;,1946. Patent expires 'S eptemb'er,4, 1965l- 3' Claims. (Cl. 137"685') This re invention relates toregulating valves;

and the nature and objects of the invention will be readily; apparent toand understood bythose sli=lled--in the arts involved; in the light of the following; explanation and detailed description of' the-accompanying drawings illustrating what Inowbelieveto be a preferred embodiment or mechanical expression of the invention from. among various other embodiments, forms, arrangements, constructions, and combinations,- of whichthe invention is capable and for which it is adapted within the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

The invention is directed generally to those typesof regulating valves in which the valveis automatically actuated from and controlled by" a flexible diaphragm actuated and controlled by pressure-variationsin a pressure'chamber; and" it is particularly concerned with such types of valves inan association with automatic refrig-. eratingapparatus in which the regulating valve besubstantially increased, so' that, when such a:

valve is used, for example, in an automatic refrigerating apparatus, the valve will maintain such precision ofcontrol over therefrigerant to v the evaporator of the: refrigerating apparatus that a substantially constant pressure will bemaintained in the evaporator during and under the various conditions encountered in: operation and; use of the apparatus;

And in carrying-rout. the above main object, a-

regulating; valve. of nay-invention isbasically characterized by the fact-that the movements transmitted to the regulating valve from the flexibleidiaphragm, as the diaphragm is, flexed by variations ofthe pressure to. which it is sub:

jected, are substantially magnified or multiplied.

nection of the fiexiblediaphragm with the-motion multiplying transmission means Another object, is towprovidez an; improved. mounting fonytheiregulating spindleifortheneea dle valve, inwhich the regulating spindle includes an axially movable spring support for the spindle;

With the foregoing and certain objects. and. results in' view, which will be readily apparent. fromthe following description and explanation,. the invention consists in certain novel features in construction of parts and elements and in the, combinations thereof, all as will. be more fully referred-to and set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in.

which similar reference characters refer to cor-- responding parts throughout the several figures.

thereof:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view througha. regulating valve ofmy invention of a type particularly intended for use with automatic re-.- frigerating apparatus.

Fig. 2' is a diagrammatic view showing'a comparative time-pressure chart or diagram.

In the example of regulating valve of my in,-. vention; which I have disclosed herein for purposes-of explanation; the valve is of the type de:

signed-for-use as the automatic. regulating valve for a refrigerating apparatus; However, my in.- vention is not limited to embodiment in such; types but is adapted-to and intended for embodiment indiaphragm regulating valves generally. The valve as'embodied in .the example, includes a valve casing ill, which at one endthereof mounts a flexible diaphragmD which extends across the casing andis secured in position between the casing and a closure head i I, so that,

there is formed between-the outer side of 'diaphragm D and the inner-side of closure head. II, a pressure chamber P. An axial duct Ii extends through the closure head H in communication at its-inner endwith pressure chamber P, and: the outer end ofthis duct is connected and placed incommunicat-ion with apipe or tube Ha which leads toa suitable heat responsive elementinot shown) ofthe usual type; for effecting variations in pressure in the pressure chamber? for-flexing diaphragm D inwardly or cut wardly of casing It, all in a mannerusual in this art.

The 'inner side-of thediaphragn'rD is operativelyassociated-with and supportedcn adisk' 2* dlsposed axially relative to the diaphragm; and- A motion transmitting member in the form of a bell crank I l having a short arm Ma and a long arm Mb, is pivotally mounted and supported on the casing IS on a pivot pin I40 disposed transversely of the short arm I40. at one end thereof, pivot pin I40 being positioned in casing I9 with its axis perpendicular to and disposed spaced at one side of the axis of the casing and of diaphragm D and its supporting stud In. The bell crank I l so mounted within casing I is positioned with the short arm Ida extending across and adjacent to the inner end of adjusting screw 12b of diaphragm stud IZa, with the inner end of the screw being engaged with the outer side of the bell crank arm I la, so that, such arm supports the diaphragm D and its associated disk I2 and supporting stud I2a in operative position for movement in either direc- 7 tion axially of the casing Ill.

The long arm Nb of bell crank I6 extends inwardly through the casing in position disposed generally axially of the casing and of diaphragm D, and at its inner end is operatively associated with a needle valve I5 and its supporting structure.

The casing ID is provided with a branch I6 extending radially from one side wall thereof generally opposite the inner end portion of the long arm Ib of bell crank I4. Branch I 5 includes a chamber IEa therewithin in which a suitable filter screen Ifib is positioned and at its outer end branch I6 is provided with a head I60 having an axial passage IBd therethrough discharging into chamber Ita. In this instance, head Ifid is adapted to be connected with the source (not shown) of the liquid cooling means or refrigerant under high pressure of a refrigerating apparatus for flow of such high pressure refrigerant into passage IM and chamber IBa, as will be understood by those familiar with this art. At the inner end of chamber Ifia, a nozzle I'I having an axial discharge passage I'Ia therethrough, is mounted in the side wall of casing II] in communication with the inner end of chamber I511. Nozzle I? mounts at its inner end a valve seat forming member It in the form of a disk of a suitable hard and non-corrosive material, such for example as a semi-precious stone such as agate. The valve seat forming disk I3 is formed with an axial bore I8a therethrough in communication with chamber IEa through the nozzle passage Ila, and the inner end of the axial passage Itia provides a valve seat I8b into which needle valve 55 extends for movements between position sealed therein to close off flow from passage IBa into casing ID and positions unseated therefrom to control flow into the casing.

The needle valve I5 is mounted and supported in position disposed transversely across casing In in axial alignment with the valve seat I8b of nozzle I3, with the needle valve being extended transversely through the inner end of the long arm Ifib of bell crank I4, Needle valve I5 is supported in such position by an axially movable support structure I9, which in turn is supported on and is mounted for movement axially of a regulating spindle 2B. The spindle 20 is mounted in a suitable packing gland 20a in a head structure 2% which is secured on and in outward extension of a branch 200 of casing III at the opposite side of the casing from branch I6. Regulating spindle 20 extends inwardly through head structure 2% and provides a tubular portion 20d in which a stem I9a of the needle valve support structure I9 is reciprocally mounted. Support structure I9 provides a head plate or disk I!!!) at the inner end thereof which is engaged by spaced knife edges Md (only one of which is shown) extending from the adjacent side of the long arm I42) of bell crank I' l. A coiled expansion 7 spring 2I is mounted over and around the tubular portion 29d of regulating spindle 20 and the support structure I9, between the head plate ISb of structure I9 and a disk 2 Ia which is adjustably threaded on the outer end of the tubular portion 20d of spindle 23 within head structure 261). Spring 28 loads structure I9 and continuously biases it in a direction toward bell crank arm Mb.

The needle valve I5 is mounted and supported in the structure It in position extending axially through head plate ISZ) of that structure with a coil spring 22 mounted around the stem of the valve within structure I9 between head plate I92), and a disk 22a fixed on the inner end of the stem of valve I5.

Thus, in normal position, the spring biased needle valve support structure I9 swings and maintains the bell crank I4 in position supporting flexible diaphragm D in outwardly flexed or displaced position as shown in Fig. l, and maintains needle valve I5 axially moved toward nozzle IT to seat the valve on the valve seat I812. Upon increase in pressure in the pressure chamber P, the diaphragm D is flexed or forced inwardly and the bell crank is rocked about its axis I40 and through its engagement by knife edges I ld with the support structure I9, forces this support structure outwardly against the spring mounting 2I which in turn through the spring mounting of the needle valve or structure I9 moves the needle valve outwardly to unseated position from its seat ISb opening nozzle 51 for discharge of refrigerant under pressure into the casing I0. Upon release or decrease of pressure in chamber P, the forces exerted by the spring 2i will again move spring support structure I9 toward nozzle H to thereby carry needle valve I5 therewith to seated position on valve seat I8b, or, depending upon the magnitude of the pressure variation in chamber P, to a position decreasing the extent of the opening of the nozzle.

As hereinbefore referred to, the bell crank I l provides a motion magnifying or multiplying connection for transmitting the movements of the disk I2 caused by flexing of diaphragm D, to the needle valve I5, so that, the movements of the needle valve are substantially magnified or increased relative to the initiating movements of the diaphragm D and its supporting disk I2 and stem or base IZa. multiplying functioning of bell crank I4 is effected by the relative positioning and mounting of the short arm I la and the long arm Ib, so that, motion is applied to the short arm adjacent the pivotal axis of the bell crank while motion is taken off from the outer or free end of the long arm lab at a considerably greater distance This motion magnifying or evaporator is, of course, controlled automatically by the functioning of the pressure controlled needle valve I5.

I have discovered and determined that by the use of a motion magnifying or multiplying transmission means or mechanism in accordance with my invention, such as the bell crank l of the illustrated example, the sensitiveness of the operation of the needle valve l5 and the control thereof over the discharge of high pressure refrigerant through the nozzle I? is greatly increased with the result that there is maintained a practically constant pressure in the evaporator (not shown) of the refrigerating apparatus with which the regulating valve is connected by the connection 25. An evaporator of an automatic refrigerating apparatus operating with a regulating valve of my invention such for example as the embodiment herein illustrated, can operate at full load without any adjustment of the regulating member alternately with 0. and

10 C. up to 30 C. of evaporating temperature. Moreover the greatest variation in the overheating temperature when operating at 10 C. at the suction part of the evaporator will amount to less than 1 C.

In order to graphically illustrate the functioning and results of the use of my regulating valve having the motion magnifying or multiplying transmission from the pressure controlled diaphragm to the refrigerant controlling valve, I have shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, a timepressure comparison diagram in which section I thereof indicates an unchanged or equal motion transmission of the movement of the diaphragm D to the regulating valve; section II indicates the effect by motion decreasing or reducing transmission to the valve; while section III graphically illustrates the results obtained by my valve with its greatly magnified or multiplied transmission of motion or movement of the pressure controlled diaphragm. In the illustrated diagram of Fig. 2, the ordinates show evaporating pressure in atmospheres and the abscissae show the time in hours.

Adjustment in the operative connection between the bell crank and the diaphragm D of the present example of my valve, may be effected with precision by means of the adjusting screw [21). The efiiciency of the operation of the valve with substantial elimination of maintenance is obtained through the use of semiprecious stone, such as agate, for the valve seat forming member I8 of nozzle l1 and also by forming the needle point of valve I5 of the same character of material. In this manner, corrosion is eliminated and the accurate precision functioning of the valve over extended periods of use is assured.

It will also be evident that the various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions and eliminations, might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and, hence, I do no wish to limit my invention in all respects to the exact and specific disclosures hereof except as may be required by specific intended limitations thereto included in any of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a regulating valve, in combination, a diaphragm mounted for flexing transversely in either direction, a fluid discharge nozzle, a needle valve for controlling discharge from said nozzle, a mounting for said needle valve including a rigidly supported regulating spindle, an axially movable valve support mounted on said spindle, said needle valve being mounted on said axially movable support for movements therewith toward and from said nozzle member, and motion multiplying transmission means connected between said diaphragm and said needle valve support for transmitting movements of the diaphragm to said support and valve thereon as magnified movements thereof relative to movements of said diaphragm.

2. In a, regulating valve, in combination, a fluid discharge nozzle, a needle valve mounted for longitudinal movements toward and from said nozzle to control discharge of fluid from the latter, a regulating spindle rigidly mounted in substantial axial alignment with said needle valve, a Valve support mounted on said regulating spindle for movement axially relative thereto, a spring mounted between said regulating spindle and said valve support and being adapted to continuously bias said valve support toward said nozzle, said needle valve being mounted on and carried by said valve support, a diaphragm mounted for flexing transversely in either direction, and motion multiplying transmission means operatively connected between said diaphragm and said valve support member for transmitting movements from said diaphragm to said support as magnified movements relative to the movements of said diaphragm.

3. In a regulating valve, in combination, a fluid discharge nozzle, a needle valve mounted for longitudinal movements toward and from said nozzle to control discharge of fluid from the latter, a regulating spindle rigidly mounted in substantial axial alignment with said needle valve, a valve support mounted on said regulating spindle in axial alignment therewith for movements in either direction axially relative thereto, said needle valve being mounted on said valve support fdr movements relative thereto, a spring operatively engaged between said needle valve and said support and yieldingly maintaining said valve in position on said support, a spring mount-- ed between said regulating spindle and said valve support and being adapted to continuously bias said valve support in a direction toward said nozzle, a diaphragm mounted for flexing transversely in either direction, and motion multiplying transmission means operatively connected between said diaphragm and said valve support for transmitting movements from the diaphragm to said valve support as magnified movements of the support and valve thereon relative to the movements of said diaphragm.

THEOPHIL EICHMANN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 123,317 Wiehl Jan. 30, 1872 1,313,858 Edge Aug. 10, 1919 1,803,659 Stanley May 5, 1931 1,885,389 Temple Nov. 1, 1932 1,935,548 Eggleston Nov. 13, 1933 2,021,053 Englebright Nov. 12, 1935 2,338,760 Denning Jan. 11, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 253,080 Switzerland Nov. 16, 1948 383,446 Great Britain Nov. 17, 1932 538,235 Great Britain July 25, 1941 609,942 France Aug. 26, 1926 

